Title 3, ELECTIONS

Sec. 31.2. (a) This subsection does not apply if a recount or contest is being conducted in a county. The county voter registration office shall complete the updating of the registration record under section 31.1 of this chapter not later than sixty (60) days after election day. …

Sec. 31.3. (a) This subsection applies to a primary election within an election district in which more than one (1) political party chooses the party's nominees or in which a nonpartisan ballot is available for a voter to vote for an office or on a public question. A voter whose …

Sec. 32. Primary election returns must contain the whole number of votes cast for each of the following: (1) Each candidate of each political party. (2) Each public question voted on at the primary election. (3) Each candidate for election to a political party office. [Pre-1986 R…

Sec. 34. The election division, not later than noon: (1) on the date for correcting an error under IC 3-12-5-14; or (2) seven (7) days after receipt of the final recount certificate transmitted under IC 3-12-6-31 or IC 3-12-11-18; whichever occurs later, shall canvass the votes c…

Sec. 35. Each notice required for a primary election shall be published in accordance with IC 5-3-1. [Pre-1986 Recodification Citation: 3-1-9-15.] As added by P.L.5-1986, SEC.6.

Sec. 4. (a) At a primary election each political party subject to section 2 of this chapter shall nominate its candidates for the following offices to be voted for at the general election: (1) United States Senator. (2) Governor. (3) United States Representative. (4) Legislative …

Sec. 4.5. (a) Except as provided in section 4.6 of this chapter, precinct committeemen shall be elected on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May 2026, 2030, 2034, 2038, 2042, and every four (4) years thereafter. (b) The rules of a political party may specify whether a p…

Sec. 4.6. (a) This section applies to precinct committeemen elected by the Indiana Republican Party. (b) Precinct committeemen shall be elected on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May 2024, 2028, 2032, 2036, 2040, 2044, and every four (4) years thereafter. (c) The rule…

Sec. 5. (a) Whenever there is no contest in a political party for the nomination of a candidate or candidates for an office, the party may hold a primary election for that nomination. The appropriate election board shall certify the names of the candidates for each nomination for…

Sec. 6. A voter may vote at a primary election: (1) if the voter, at the last general election, voted for a majority of the regular nominees of the political party holding the primary election; or (2) if the voter did not vote at the last general election, but intends to vote at …

Sec. 7.1. (a) This subsection does not apply to a county in which electronic poll books are used under IC 3-7-29-6(a)(1) or IC 3-11-18.1. Each county election board shall furnish the inspector of each precinct for use on primary election day a certified copy under IC 3-7-29 of th…

Sec. 7.2. (a) Except as provided in subsection (e), a voter who desires to vote an official ballot at a primary election shall provide proof of identification. (b) Except as provided in subsection (e), before the voter proceeds to vote in a primary election, a precinct election o…

Sec. 8. A person who will be a voter at the general election for which the primary is being held and whose name does not appear on the registration record of the precinct, the certified copy of the registration record prepared under IC 3-7-29, or the electronic poll list may: (1)…

Sec. 9. A voter who resides in any precinct may challenge a voter or person who offers to vote at a primary election. The challenged person may not vote unless the challenged person: (1) is registered; (2) makes: (A) an oral or a written affirmation under IC 3-10-12; or (B) an af…

Sec. 1. Subject to sections 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 9.5, and 13 of this chapter, the primary factor to be considered in determining a voter's choice on a ballot is the intent of the voter. If the voter's intent can be determined on the ballot or on part of the ballot, the vote shall be co…

Sec. 1.2. (a) This chapter is enacted to comply with 52 U.S.C. 21081 by establishing uniform and nondiscriminatory standards to define what will be counted as a vote on a paper ballot, optical scan voting system, or electronic voting system. (b) The standards in this chapter appl…

Sec. 1.5. As used in this chapter, "election officer" means a person employed or appointed by the state, a political subdivision, or a political party to perform a duty under this title. As added by P.L.3-1987, SEC.329.

Sec. 1.7. (a) The following provisions govern the counting of write-in votes: (1) Except as provided in subsection (b), only votes cast for declared write-in candidates shall be counted and certified. (2) The name of a candidate, written on the space reserved for write-in voting,…

Sec. 10. A ballot on which a voter writes: (1) the voter's name; (2) the voter's initials; (3) a number; or (4) a symbol (such as a star, circle, parallel lines, dots, or any combination of such symbols), if written with the intent to enable a person to determine who cast the bal…

Sec. 11. In applying this chapter to a primary election, the voting square includes the voting space at the left of the name of a candidate on the primary ballot. [Pre-1986 Recodification Citation: 3-1-25-18(a) part.] As added by P.L.5-1986, SEC.8.

Sec. 12. (a) This section applies to votes cast by any method. (b) Except as provided in section 13 of this chapter, a ballot that has been marked and cast by a voter in compliance with this title but may otherwise not be counted solely as the result of the act or failure to act …

Sec. 13. (a) This section applies only to absentee ballots. (b) The whole ballot may not be counted unless the ballot is endorsed with the initials of: (1) the two (2) members of the absentee voter board under IC 3-11-4-19, IC 3-11-10-25, IC 3-11-10-26, IC 3-11-10-26.3, or IC 3-1…

Sec. 14. (a) This section does not apply to a vote: (1) cast for president or vice president of the United States under IC 3-10-4-6; or (2) described by section 15 of this chapter. (b) A vote cast for a candidate who ceases to be a candidate may not be counted as a vote for a suc…

Note: This version of section effective until 1-1-2027. See also following version of this section, effective 1-1-2027. Sec. 15. (a) This section does not apply to a candidate for a school board office or an at-large office of a county council, city common council, town council, …

Sec. 16. (a) This section applies when: (1) a ballot is reprinted under IC 3-11-3-29.5(d) to omit the name of a former candidate; and (2) the candidate vacancy is filled following the reprinting of the ballots. (b) A vote cast on the ballot where the statement "NO CANDIDATE" or w…

Sec. 17. (a) This section applies only to an absentee ballot sent by mail. (b) Notwithstanding IC 3-11.5-4-7, an absentee ballot received from an overseas voter is not considered as arriving too late if both of the following apply: (1) The absentee ballot envelope is postmarked n…

Sec. 18. (a) This section applies to a federal write-in absentee ballot cast in a primary election as provided in IC 3-11-4-12.5(b)(1) by an absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter. (b) If a voter does any of the following, the voter's vote is void: (1) The voter votes …

Sec. 19. (a) The provisions of section 1.7 of this chapter concerning write-in votes apply to this section. This section applies to a federal write-in absentee ballot cast in a general election, municipal election, or special election as provided in IC 3-11-4-12.5(b)(2) by an abs…

Sec. 2. (a) This section does not apply to absentee ballots. (b) The whole ballot may not be counted, subject to section 12 of this chapter, if the ballot is not endorsed or printed with the initials of the poll clerks in accordance with state law. [Pre-1986 Recodification Citati…

Sec. 3. The whole ballot is void if the ballot bears any distinguishing mark (other than a voting mark) or a mutilation made by the voter or an election officer with the intent to enable a person to determine who cast the marked or mutilated ballot. [Pre-1986 Recodification Citat…

Sec. 4. (a) The whole ballot is void if a voter does any act extrinsic to the ballot, such as enclosing any paper or other article in the folded ballot, with the intent to enable a person to determine that the voter cast the ballot. (b) An erasure by a voter does not make the who…

Note: This version of section effective until 1-1-2027. See also following version of this section, effective 1-1-2027. Sec. 5. (a) This subsection does not apply to a ballot card voting system or an electronic voting system. Except as provided in subsection (d), a voting mark ma…

Sec. 6. A voting mark made by a voter on or in a voting square following the word "Yes" or the word "No" before a public question shall be counted as indicated. [Pre-1986 Recodification Citation: 3-1-25-18(c).] As added by P.L.5-1986, SEC.8. Amended by P.L.6-1986, SEC.36.

Note: This version of section effective until 1-1-2027. See also following version of this section, effective 1-1-2027. Sec. 7. (a) This subsection applies whenever a voter: (1) votes a straight party ticket; and (2) votes only for one (1) or more individual candidates who are al…

Sec. 7.1. Notwithstanding section 7 of this chapter, a straight party vote does not count for any candidate for a school board office. As added by P.L.195-2025, SEC.15.

Sec. 7.5. (a) If a voter votes for one (1) individual candidate for an office for which only one (1) person may be elected and also writes in the name of another candidate for the same office, neither vote may be counted. (b) If a voter votes for at least one (1) individual candi…

Note: This version of section effective until 1-1-2027. See also following version of this section, effective 1-1-2027. Sec. 8. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b), a voting mark made by a voter on or in a circle containing a political party device shall be counted as a vote…

Sec. 9. (a) A voting mark that touches a circle, an oval, or a square shall be counted as if it were on or in the circle, oval, or square. A voting mark that partially connects a connectable arrow shall be counted as if the voting mark completed the connection of the arrow. (b) A…

Sec. 9.5. (a) This section applies to counting votes cast on ballot cards. (b) This subsection applies to a ballot card that: (1) has been cast in a precinct whose votes are being recounted by a local recount commission or the state recount commission; (2) is damaged or defective…

Sec. 1. Except as provided in section 18 or 20 of this chapter or IC 3-10-8-7.5, this chapter applies to the filling of a candidate vacancy that arises for any reason if the vacancy leaves a major political party without a candidate for the office and occurs before the thirtieth …

Sec. 10. (a) To be eligible to participate in a caucus called under section 4, 5, or 6 of this chapter, an elected precinct committeeman must be entitled to vote for the office for which a candidate is to be selected. An elected precinct committeeman is eligible to participate in…

Sec. 10.5. (a) This section applies only to a meeting of a caucus required under this chapter. This section does not apply to the filling of a vacancy by the county chairman or a committee acting under section 6(b)(2) of this chapter. (b) A person who wishes to be a candidate for…

Sec. 11. (a) At a meeting called under section 3, 4, 5, or 6 of this chapter, the eligible participants shall: (1) establish the rules of procedure for the caucus or meeting, except as otherwise provided in this chapter; and (2) select, by a majority vote of those casting a vote …

Sec. 11.5. (a) Except as provided in this section, voting by proxy is not permitted in a caucus called under section 4, 5, or 6 of this chapter. (b) A precinct vice committeeman is entitled to participate in a caucus called under section 4, 5, or 6 of this chapter and vote as a p…

Sec. 12. (a) If a tie vote occurs among participants acting under section 3, 4, 5, or 6(c) of this chapter, the chairman of the meeting may cast the tiebreaking vote. If a tie vote occurs among participants acting under section 6(b) of this chapter, the county chairman or an indi…

Sec. 13. If fewer than two (2) persons are eligible to participate in the filling of a candidate vacancy for an office under section 6(b) of this chapter, the county chairman entitled to call the meeting under section 8 of this chapter shall appoint a person to fill the vacancy. …